REVIEW

Gary Des-Etages: No Compromise

Gary Des-Etages
No Compromise (Album Sampler) FER
He’s Back! Gary is one of the UK’s finest voices and once again he’s amongst friends at the little label that really appreciates his talent. There are four tracks that highlight the man’s fantastic talent here on this sampler. Every time I drop this guy’s music at a gig somebody fights his or her way through the crowd to ask who he is. His voice is distinctive, soulful and it must not go to waste as other vocalists that were simply too darn soulful for the masses have so in the past. The energetic title cut from the album is stunning. As is the subby bass-led ‘Anything’ remix that finds the backing vocalists working jus’ as hard as Des-Etages to turn up the soulometer. ‘I Knew’ takes things down a little, but only in pace, not in soul content. ‘How Can I Love You Down’ turns the pace setting a notch or two even further down into the super chilled beats zone and it’s almost time to get in between the sheets. The voice is on-point and Des-Etages gets some nice help from Sioban, who is eager to get it on with Des-Etages too. She begs him to “leave this place and start something new”. Like I said, time to get busy people! Let’s hope this is a new start in the career of Gary Des-Etages, the point where mainstream picks up on this great talent.
Reviewed by Yogi Haughton – DJ Magazine
Gary Des-Etages
How Can I Love You Down FER (UK)
Slowly, surely, quietly, Gary Des-Etages has been building a rep as one of the finest soul singers to come out of the UK in a very, very long time, and this slice of pure soul heaven, in all its quiet storm glory, shows the man’s true talents. It’s taken from his debut album and every track on it is a stone cold killer. So is Gary about to blow up? No. He’s stuck his middle finger up to the majors and signed his awesome talent to a small independent because, like him, they put the music first and foremost. The album’s called ‘No Compromise’ and that’s exactly what it is. Phenomenal. Buy this, and buy the album too.
Reviewed by Pete McIntyre – IDJ Magazine